


Hero

by fujiapplesgoBOOM



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Reaper76 - Freeform, either way it's bro love, or not if that's not your thing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-29
Updated: 2016-07-29
Packaged: 2018-07-27 10:38:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7614802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fujiapplesgoBOOM/pseuds/fujiapplesgoBOOM
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He finally managed to track down one of the remaining members of Gabriel's family. Jack still wasn't sure if this was a good idea, but he had an apology to make and the one he needed to say it to most was dead. And so he walked on towards a little bakery in the corner of Dorado.</p>
<p>Based on the 'Hero' Overwatch animated short.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hero

**Author's Note:**

> Originally wasn't impressed with Soldier 76's animated short when it first came out but after getting to know each character a little better and learning about his backstory with Reaper I started to feel... things... when I happened to rewatch it. So many little things in his behavior that suddenly made much more sense. The idea of him going to Dorado for an untold specific reason popped into my head and just wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote it down. Plus I can totally see Gabriel as the type who had at least ONE sibling, but he's the oldest for sure.
> 
> I haven't written in a VERY long time so apologies if it's terrible haha. Tried to write this so you can interpret it as Reaper76 or not if you're not into that. (But I'm complete Reaper76 trash so shhhhhh)

He stared at the old and worn poster on the wall. ‘LOS PROTECTORES’ it said, heroic figures posed artfully staring into an unseen horizon. An Overwatch emblem flag fluttered boldly behind them. A scowl formed under the mask. He hated this poster. A reminder of the old days. An urge to pull it down began to rise inside him. It wasn’t making what he came here to do any easier. He’d finally managed to track her down after all these years. Of course he didn’t blame her for moving to this town, so far from where she grew up. After everything that happened, after what he LET happen to her brother, it was understandable why she started a life where no one knew who her family was. He heard she ran a small bakery now, even had a daughter she was raising on her own. For a while he had wondered if he even had a right to shatter her newfound happiness by showing his face to her again, but he needed to atone. To apologize. To finally say the words he should have spoken all those years ago instead of feigning death and hiding like a coward. _‘It’s all my fault he’s dead. I’m sorry I couldn’t save him. I should have tried harder to SAVE him.’_

 The sound of cackling interrupted him just as he began to reach for the poster. Quickly darting into a nearby alley, he clutched his gun a little tighter as he carefully observed the plaza where the laughter was coming from. Three young men were laughing as they stalked a lone omnic that already looked like it had taken quite a beating. The omnic continued to stagger into the plaza, desperately trying to escape before finally collapsing to the ground. This caused the group of men to burst out in even louder laughter, now circling their prey like a pack of hyenas.

 “You sure had a lot of nerve, walking around our streets without our permission,” one of them taunted, landing a hard strike with the bat he was carrying. The other two quickly joined in, placing harsh kicks and spitting on the omnic as it lay helpless on the ground. “We should scrap it for parts, we’ve got some time before we need to pick up the goods,” another one chimed as he landed a particularly harsh kick to the metallic body.

 Jack’s fingers tightened even more around his pulse rifle, a low growl escaping his throat. These were obviously members of Los Muertos, the gang that had been rapidly taking over Dorado. He was tempted to beat their skulls in right here, but the mention of picking up ‘goods’ had him intrigued. No doubt it was weapons or some kind of illegal substance. Either way, he would make sure to stop whatever they were up to. Suddenly he sensed a new presence and turned his gaze sharply towards the plaza entrance. A girl, no older than 13, stood there hesitantly observing the men before her. Turning her gaze downwards, she cautiously tried walking around them.

 “‘Ey, ‘ey! Alé! Where you goin’ girl?”

 No good, they spotted her right away. She stuttered out a reply nervously, and the one who called out to her approached her roughly. Shoving her towards the dented omnic and forcing the bat into her hands, it was obvious the trio was trying to pressure her into joining in on their activities. She was hesitating, trying to make some excuse so she could leave. She mentioned needing to go to the store and one of the thugs proceeded to swiftly steal her wallet. Jack’s heart froze as he caught sight of the little coin pouch now being tossed between the men. He’d seen that pouch before. Well, one just like it to be exact. A memory from days long past came to his mind, Gabriel pulling out some coins from the creature’s mouth to pay for the churros he’d just bought for them both. A fond smile on his face as he explained his sister had made it for him when he noticed Jack’s quizzical expression.

  _‘Could that girl be…’_

 His thought was interrupted when a truck blaring loud music pulled up, and the trio of ruffians hopped aboard with the girl’s wallet still in their possession. They weren’t hard to follow after.

 The two idiots guarding the alley had been quite easy to incapacitate. As he dragged one into the dark alley, he was certain his panicked cries would grab the attention of the others currently loading crates onto their truck. Sure enough, he saw two of them come down and rush to help their friend. Now was the best time to strike. They were just a bunch of young punks, and experience taught him they were always easily frightened. He threw the currently unconscious man’s body as hard as he could at the power box on the opposite wall.

 Sure enough the trio in the newly darkened alley quickly grabbed for weapons with obvious fear, their neon skeleton-themed tattoos glowing. Though they tried to remain cocky it was evident they were already quite shaken up, making for easy prey. The fight was over in seconds. A feral growl escaped him as he spotted another gangster step out carrying another crate. This one was smart. He quickly whistled for backup and leapt onto the truck, tearing open a crate with a wicked grin. Jack quickly dashed into the side alley as the minigun’s bullets rained down at him. _‘So it’s weapons after all,’_ he thought to himself. More gunfire hailed down from above towards his hiding place as more members of Los Muertos appeared from the rooftops. Though there was a torrent of bullets now constantly showering towards him Jack wasn’t worried. They were just a bunch of brute-force punks after all, and he could tell there was no real skill to their shooting. There was no way he could let that truck get away though. Quickly switching the firing mode on his pulse rifle he leapt out into the gunfire and fired his Helix rockets towards the minigun-toting thug. The ensuing explosion caused enough of an opening for him to leap up onto some of the crates littering the alley to get a good line of sight on the rooftop assailants. Leaping with well-practiced grace, he activated his tactical visor and lined up three perfect shots. Hauling himself off the dumpster he had landed roughly on, the last of the thugs fell to the ground. Then he noticed one of them was still awake, trying to crawl away. Rolling the stiffness out of his shoulder, he calmly strode towards the terrified gang member. As those fearful eyes met his, he recognized him as the one who had been beating that omnic earlier. The one who had tried to pressure that girl into joining their shameful activities. Another growl escaped him as he grabbed a nearby burning piñata from the ground. Seething rage is all that filled him as the man on the ground began pleading for his life.

  **“THESE!”**

 A powerful blow to the tattooed head.

  **“AREN’T!”**

 Another blow, stronger than the first.

  **“YOUR!”**

 The piñata split open in a burst of cinders and melting candy.

  **“STREETS!”**

 The man was trying in vain to shield his unprotected head but Jack’s strikes were harsh and precise.

  **“ANYMORE!!!”**

 A terrified shriek pierced the air as the thug’s head split open on the ground and Jack looked up sharply at the source. It was the girl from earlier, now pleading and trying to crawl away from where she had been hiding. He didn’t get to fully process the scene before him however as a low hum approached from behind. Another truck had backed into the alley, the few surviving Los Muertos members scrambling towards it.

 “You don’t get off that easy!” he growled, darting towards them.

 One of the thugs on the truck broke out into a grin, reaching into a crate stacked next to him before quickly tossing something down the alley.

 “Eat THIS!”

 Jack recognized the grenade as it whizzed past him, watching in horror as it rolled to a halt at the frightened girl’s feet. For a brief moment his rage still carried his body towards the fleeing punks, but the increasing beeping of the grenade and the girl’s scream halted him.

  _‘Not again.’_

 Intense heat wracked him, followed by blinding pain as he crashed to the ground. The force of the blast caused his body to skid another few feet down the alley. With a groan and labored breathing, he forced himself up as he carefully unwrapped himself from the small form in his arms. Relief washed over him as soft brown eyes looked up at him with shock. He had made it. She was safe.

 He released her and began to rise to his feet when a sharp pain coursed through his side. He clutched at it gingerly, groaning again as the light pressure caused it to pulse even sharper. A quick glance down revealed no blood or torn fabric in his jacket, and he concluded he had most likely broken a rib from his harsh landing as he dove to shield the girl. He let out a growl of pain and frustration as he turned to look down the path the gang members had fled.

 “You… You saved me… Why?”

 Jack turned back sharply towards the girl still on the ground, noticing her recoil with fear. But her gaze told him she was more curious than afraid as she looked up at him expectantly. In that moment, those brown eyes looked so familiar to him and there was no doubt in his mind as to who she was.

 “...Old habits die hard I guess,” was all he managed to say. There was so much he WANTED to say, but he suddenly felt his throat clenching up. “Run home kid, it ain’t safe out here.”

 He tossed the coin pouch he managed to take back after beating the first group of thugs back at her. She caught it easily, genuine surprise in her face. Slowly her face lit up and she began to beam at him, eyes shining with adoration.

 Jack’s heart wrenched at the expression and he quickly turned to pick up his gun from the ground.

  _‘I don’t deserve to be looked at like that, especially not by you.’_

 “You’re one of those heroes, aren’t you?”

 She had called out to him just as he started to walk away. Those words tinged with hope stopped him dead in his tracks and he felt an ache course through him, stronger than the throbbing of the broken bones in his side.

 “...Not anymore,” he replied softly, sorrowfully. He strode off into the smoke and dust, disappearing from view.

 Unable to hear the quiet “I think you are” that left the smiling girl’s lips.

 

\---------

 

Alejandra rushed down the street, clinging to the heavy bag of flour as best she could. She had already been gone 45 minutes on an errand that should have taken 10 at most. Her mama was going to be furious for sure. She was so focused on getting home she almost forgot to stop to take home an old worn poster she had seen many times on her way to the plaza. The words ‘LOS PROTECTORES’ adorned it, with portraits of striking figures looking boldly into the horizon. Her mother would always tell her about the heroes portrayed on it, of their brave deeds and strength. Alejandra used to hate this poster. Every time she and her mother passed it, her mama would just gaze at it with such sad eyes. Sometimes she would smile, but there was always sorrow in her eyes. Once she had explained that her uncle, whom Alejandra never got to meet, had been one of those heroes before he lost his life. How all of those heroes were criminalized and forgotten once they were no longer needed. Her mama had looked the saddest then.

 After what happened tonight though, Alejandra decided she wouldn’t just let that poster continue to waste away out there. Those heroes deserved to be remembered. Her new treasure in tow, she continued to sprint back home. Sure enough her mama’s harsh voice called out to her as she opened the door to the bakery. She apologized quickly, and excitedly began to recount the night’s events. As she pulled the door shut behind her, she didn’t notice the figure on the rooftop across the way gazing down at her.

Jack stared down at the bakery as the door closed firmly. Tonight probably wasn’t the best time to visit Gabriel’s sister after all, and he walked off into the night.


End file.
